Sarkozy confirms French battalion for eastern Afghanistan

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has confirmed his country will be sending a battalion to eastern Afghanistan, meeting a Canadian ultimatum that other NATO allies boost their deployments.

"I have decided to reinforce the French military presence with a battalion to be deployed in the eastern region," he said at the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) conference in Bucharest.

The deployment will free up US forces to move to the troubled south of the country, easing pressure on Australian and Canadian forces there.

Mr Sarkozy first mentioned a possible boost in French forces in Afghanistan during a speech to the British parliament last week, and it was announced late Wednesday night by a NATO spokesman following the summit's opening dinner.

"I can confirm that the French Government has offered a substantial military contribution to Afghanistan," spokesman James Appathurai said.

"They have made that offer for the east of the country, and the United States, building on that offer, has agreed to offer troops in the south."

This would meet a condition Canada set-down before it would agree to extend its mission in Afghanistan to 2011, he added, which he said was very welcome to all allies.

Canada's Parliament voted last month to extend its military mission in volatile southern Afghanistan to 2011, but only if its allies sent reinforcements.

Canada has lost 80 soldiers in Afghanistan since Ottawa began its deployment there as part of the NATO led mission to fight the Taliban in 2002.